Kathmandu, Nov. 13: Minister for Education, Science and Technology Devendra Poudel has said Nepal has given continuity to children’s education amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his address to the 41th general assembly of UNESCO underway in Paris of France, Minster Poudel shared the country has continued educating children during the pandemic by using learning materials through television, community radio and home-based measures.

The minister further said that the pandemic has compelled to think about the importance of digital device in education. Noting that Nepal has attained significant success in the key areas such as education, health, gender equality and women empowerment, Minister Poudel said the country has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In order to direct the development efforts, the government has set a national slogan ‘Happy Nepali, Prosperous Nepal’, the minister informed, adding the government has also prepared a legal process required to permit local government to take decisions independently with a commitment that ‘learning never stops’.

He further informed that necessary directive and regulation have been developed to give continuity to education calendar despite unfavourable situation brought out by the pandemic.

The Minister added that they are effortful in designing and delivering digital platforms for propagating alternative education. The government has laid emphasis on the development of science and technology, he said, pledging to incentivize youth scientists to advance ‘artificial intelligence’ by promoting innovation and research.

Likewise, the minister shared that Nepal has been adversely affected by negative impacts of climate change despite its negligible share in the emission of greenhouse gas. Informing that Nepal is committed to the implementation of Paris deal, he reiterated commitment to provide pathways to climate change resilience.

It is the national priority of Nepal to protect visible and invisible heritages, Minister Poudel said, adding the country has put all-out efforts to reconstruct the structures devastated by the 2015 earthquake.

Also present in the general assembly are Education Secretary Ram Prasad Thapaliya, Permanent Delegate of Nepal to UNESCO and Nepal’s Ambassador to France Deepak Adhikari and Nepal’s Deputy General Secretary for UNESCO Dr Baburam Adhikari